HARARE – In a bold and unprecedented move, a man claiming to be Zanu PF interim secretary general has written to parliament ordering recalls on 70 party legislators, among them, President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s son David Kudakwashe Mnangagwa and allies.

In a letter to national assembly speaker Jacob Mudenda, Tafadzwa Manyika said the MPs have ceased to be party members.

“Kindly be advised that the following Members of the National Assembly were elected under Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front (ZANU PF) political party, and have ceased to be members of the Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front.

“Kindly proceed in terms of the relevant provisions of the Constitution of Zimbabwe relating to members who have ceased to be members of a political party which they were elected under,” read the letter, accompanied by the list of targeted MPs.

Among those who were targeted in the bold recall order was Mnangagwa’s son, who doubles as deputy minister of finance.

Also targeted were Owen Ncube, a top ally to the president, Tourism Minister Barbra Rwodzi and Tongai Mnangagwa, nephew to the Zimbabwean leader.

The recall order is a big test to Mudenda’s impartiality after the controversial leader of the country’s legislative institution moved with swift speed recently to expel 15 CCC MPs while acting on a controversial directive by self-imposed CCC interim secretary general Sengezo Tshabangu, described as an imposter by the main opposition.

In a somewhat sarcastic comment over the development, CCC spokesperson Promise Mkwananzi said the Zanu PF recall is likely to spur fresh elections in the country.

“A Demon of recalls engulfs the country. The speaker now has no option but to remove the @ZANUPF_Official recalled members as per the precedent he has set.

“At this rate, we are likely to have a fresh election sooner than we expected. With almost 100 MPs recalled, parliament has effectively collapsed. Compounded by the SHAM of August 2023, a fresh, free & fair election is now the only option,” Mkwananzi posted on his X, formerly Twitter.

However, apart from adding drama to a highly toxic Zimbabwean political landscape, it is almost impossible for Mudenda to act on the order.

Mudenda is Zanu PF’s legal secretary and a politburo member.

In the last parliament, Mudenda diligently presided over opposition recalls ordered by MDC-T leader Douglas Mwonzora.

The MPs targeted were MDC Alliance lawmakers loyal to Nelson Chamisa, who later formed CCC following leadership squabbles with Mwonzora.